Suspension is not conviction
Whatever course is chosen must preserve continuity without prejudging Commissioner Regalado.
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Whatever course is chosen must preserve continuity without prejudging Commissioner Regalado.
The preventive suspension of Insurance Commissioner Reynaldo Regalado by the Office of the Ombudsman was the biggest news for us members of the insurance industry. It is especially significant for an industry entrusted with protecting the lives, property and savings of millions of Filipinos. The Ombudsman must be allowed to investigate the allegations independently, but the public must remember that preventive suspension is not a finding of guilt.
Section 24 of the Ombudsman Act permits the suspension of an official while a case is being investigated when the legal conditions are present. Its purpose is to prevent possible interference with witnesses, records or evidence. The Supreme Court has repeatedly explained that it is a precautionary measure, not a penalty, although six months without pay can feel punitive and cause lasting reputational damage.
During the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Ombudsman has issued several preventive suspension orders. Three comparable cases involving high-ranking officials in the Executive branch stand out.
MIAA acting general manager Cesar Chiong was preventively suspended in 2023 and subsequently dismissed by the Ombudsman. The Court of Appeals later reversed and set aside that ruling for lack of factual basis and substantial evidence. Chiong was nevertheless not restored as MIAA chief, illustrating that even a successful appeal may not save the position of an official whose appointment ultimately depends on the President’s trust and confidence.
NFA Administrator Roderico Bioco was among 139 officials and employees suspended in March 2024 over the allegedly disadvantageous sale of government rice stocks. The Ombudsman later reinstated many lower-ranking employees after investigators secured the necessary records, but Bioco remained out of office and was replaced by an acting administrator.
GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso was ordered suspended for six months in July 2025 over the pension fund’s investment in Alternergy. Within three months, the Ombudsman lifted his suspension after finding insufficient reason to believe that his return would prejudice the investigation. Veloso resumed his duties, and last week the Ombudsman reportedly resolved his case with only a reprimand.
How Commissioner Regalado’s suspension will unfold is now the question on our minds. Clearly, he should receive neither special protection nor premature condemnation. His case must be resolved promptly because the Insurance Commission regulates insurers, HMOs and pre-need companies, protects policyholders, and supervises billions of pesos in premiums, claims and investments. A prolonged leadership vacuum could delay approvals and create uncertainty across the financial sector.
The immediate question is what comes? The Administration is expected to designate an Officer-in-Charge from within the Commission. There are now two Deputy Commissioners, while two other Deputy Commissioner positions remain vacant. Whatever course is chosen must preserve continuity without prejudging Commissioner Regalado. Accountability requires an independent investigation, but fairness requires that evidence, not suspension or headlines, determine guilt.
